Flush valve system



Feb. 27, 1951 F. R. COCHRAN FLUSH VALVE SYSTEM Filed Jan. 13, 1949 INVENTOR. Francis R. Cochran Patented Feb. 27, 1951 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE FLUSH VALVE SYSTEM Francis R. Cochran, Wilmington, lDel.

Application January .13, 1949, Serial No. 70,709

'3 Claims.

This invention relates to a simple and inexpensive attachment for flush tanks and the like, wherein a toilet flush system will be provided, after the attachment is made, which has a minimum number'of moving parts, thereb eliminating the need for constant repair. An object of the invention is to provide a flush tank attachment that may be quickly and easily attached to a flush tank, without necessitating any changes in the construction of the tank. 1

A further object is to provide a flush valve system having only one moving part, that being a thin rod to which is secured a rubber valve stopper.

Another object is to provide a flush valve system, wherein the parts do not become tangled or loose, having a means for guiding .a rubber valve so that the valve always floats back into its proper closed position.

A still further object is to provide an attachment wh ch may be easily installed and which is adapted to be attached "to all types of tanks.

Further and more specific objects and advantages will more clearly appear from the detailed description .given below taken in connection with the accompanying drawings which form .a part of this specification, and in which:

Figure 1 is a perspective view, partly in section, of the system, showing one embodiment .of the invention;

Fig. 2 is a front elevational view of a second embodiment of the'inventi'on, showing a sectional View of the top of the tank of Fig. 1

Fig. 3 shows a side sectional view of one part of the tank used in connection with th s system;

Fig. 4 shows a plan view of the lever used in connection with the embodiment shown in Fig. 1; and

Fig. 5 is a perspective view of the housing used in connection with the embodiment shown in Fig. 1.

Referring in detail to the drawings, and particularly to Figures 1 and 2, numeral represents a conventional flushing tank having an outlet 2 in its base portion 3. The front side of tank I has an opening l therein due to the fact that, with the instant attachment used, there is no longer any need for the conventional lever that is usuall attached thereat to the tank. The top of the tank is represented by numeral 5 and has therein an opening 6 through which passes a guide pipe I.

Inasmuch as the embodiment shown in Fig. 2 is incorporated in the embodiment of Fig. 1, similar numerals are used in both embodiments and 2 are hereinafter referred to only in connection with Fig. .1.

The guide pipe l is threaded on one end thereof, as shown at 8, so that the guide pipe may be securely attached to the top 5 by means of two nuts 9 and It. The guide pipe l is of such a length that it extends, when the top 5 is placed on the tank I, in a vertical plane a suitable distance in the tank. The guide pipe 7! maybe vaned in length to fit different type tanks. A guide pipe which extends into the tank abou't three-fourths of the height of the tank is .preferred.

A cover II having an opening I2 in one of its sides is securely attached by nut '9 to the top of the tank 5. This cover may be of any design or configuration and is used primarily for decorative purposes. By using such a cover, it can be seen that the appearance of the entire tank is greatly improved.

Passing through the guide pipe 7 is a rod I3. The rod I3 is threaded near one of its ends, as at M, in order that a metal stop I5 may be securely attached thereto. A rubber float valve I6 is secured to this end of the rod in a conventional manner. The valve I5 is adapted to seal, when placed in proper position, the opening 2 of "tank '5 and may be of any configuration or made of any suitable material. The stop l5 may also be made of other material, such as plastic or rubber, so long as it remains in a stiffened condition. The stop I5 is used to protect the valve I6 from being torn 'or damaged by guide pipe 1.

It is essential that the diameter of guide jpipe i be of a size to permit rod l3 to move upwardly and downwardly freely and at the same time to properly guide the float valve [6.

As shown in Fig. 1, "the upper end of rod 13 extends through the top 5, nut 9 and intohousing II and further 'throughone end of lever ll, as shown at 253. At the top of rod I3, there is secured, by any suitable means, a handle or knob I 8. The lever ll is pivotally secured by means of pin I9 to a bracket 2!. The pin I9 passes through the holes 22 in the upwardly extending flanges 23 of the lever IT, as shown in Fig. 4. The bracket 2i is securely attached to the cover II by any suitable means.- The other end of the lever I?! extends through the opening I2 of the cover and has an enlarged end portion 24. A conventional inlet pipe 29 for water entering the tank I passes through the bottom of the tank and is attached thereto by any suitable means, such as the nut 28.

It can readily be seen that the system may be operated satisfactorily by eliminating the lever l1, the bracket 2! and cover H, as shown in Fig. 2, although it is preferred, in order to improve the appearance of the system to use the embodiment shown in Fig. 1. As shown in Figs. 1 and 3, the opening 4, through which a lever passes in the majority of systems used today, may be covered by inserting the cap 25 which screws on to the member 26, having flanges 21 which abut the inside of casing I, placed in the opening 4. It should be noted that the cap 25 improves the outward appearance of the tank I.

Referring to Fig. 1, the operation of the above described device is as follows: When it is desired to flush the tank I, handle 24 is depressed and, due to its pivotal mounting on the bracket 2|, the lever I! raises the knob l8 and, in turn, the rod l3 to which the knob is attached. Raising the rod [3 unseats the valve [6 and permits the water in tank I to flow out of the opening 2. When the valve is unseated, it rises in the tank, clue to buoyancy, a distance until the stop l5 strikes the guide pipe 1. When the discharging water reaches the level of the risen valve, the valve will commence to float down upon the water and, as a result of its own weight, will fall into its seat 2 upon the escape of all the water in the tank. The guide pipe 1 aids in guiding the valve into its seat 2. Accordingly, it can be seen that a full discharge is had upon raising and releasing the knob l8. Following this operation, the valve I6 remains in its seated position while a suitable amount of water, in the conventional manner, enters the tank I through the pipe 29 and rises around the valve 2. its seated position due to the pressure of the incoming water.

The operation of the embodiment of Fig. 2 of the drawings is exactly similar to the above-described operation with the exception of the fact that the knob I8 is pulled up directly by the party flushing the tank. The knob I8 is raised until the metal stop strikes the guide pipe I and is then released whereupon the valve l6 floats upon the discharging water to its seat 2.

It can be seen that the above-described embodiments may be attached to the conventional flush tanks by merely constructing a hole in the top 5 of the tank. Thereafter, the guide pipe I and the housing I I, if that form of the embodiment is being attached, are secured to the top of a tank by the nuts 9 and II]. The lever which is usually secured in the opening 4 of conventional flush tanks and its parts may be easily removed and a cap 25 inserted therein.

From the above description, it can be seen that a valve system is provided which is inexpensive to construct, simple to attach to conventional water tanks, is neat and attractive in appearance and eliminates the chance of failure of the flush systemt due to the fact that there is only one moving P 9 The valve 2 is retained in 1.-

It is to be understood that the above description and drawings are merely illustrative, and in no wise limiting, and that I desire to include within this invention such modifications as are comprehended within the scope of the appended claims.

I claim:

1. An attachment for a flush tank having a top portion comprising a rod having secured at one end thereof in the tank a stop member and a valve member, a housing attached to the top portion of the tank to cover the other end of said rod which extends upwardly of the top portion of the tank, a lever pivotally connected to said housin and having one end thereof cooperatively associated with the other end of said rod whereby said rod will be moved in an upward and downward direction when said lever is pivoted, said housing having an opening therein through which the other end of said lever extends.

2. An attachment for a flush tank having a top portion comprising a rod having secured at one end thereof in the tank a stop member and a valve member, a handle securely mounted on the other end of said rod which extends upwardly oi the top portion of the tank, a housing having an opening therein attached to the top portion of the tank to cover the other end of the rod and said handle, a lever pivotally secured to said housing and having one end extending through said opening, the other end of said lever being cooperatively associated with said other end of said rod, and means upon pivoting said lever for guiding said rod in an upward and downward direction.

3. An attachment for a flush tank having a top portion comprising a rod having secured at one end thereof in the tank a stop member and a valve member, a handle securely mounted on the other end of said rod which extends upwardly of the top portion of the tank, a housing having an opening therein attached to the top portion of the tank to cover the other end of said rod and said handle, a bracket securely attached to the inside of said housing, a lever pivotally connected to said bracket, said lever having one end thereof cooperatively associated with the other end of said rod and its other end extending through said housing opening whereby said rod will be moved in an upward and downward direction when said lever is pivoted.

FRANCIS R. COCHRAN.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 301,868 Dawson July 15, 1884 441,097 Haarlander Nov. 18, 1890 994,793 Schwiesaw June 13, 1911 

